Separator for postage-meter machines



Get. 18, 1927.

A. H. PITNEY ET AL SEPARATOR FOR POSTAGE METER MACHINES Original Filed March 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllll |l rllllll |I lllllllll IL lul l I I I I x I L immmmmmm l Oct. 1927. 1,646,107

A. H. PITNEY ET AL SEPARATOR FOR POSTAGE METER MACHINES Original Filed March 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 maa val. I!!! I! wOH Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. PITNEY, JACOB W. OGDEN, EDWARD G. NORTHROP, AND WALTER H.

WHEELER, JR., OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO PITNEY-BOWES POSTAGE METER COMPANY, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTI- CUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

SEPARATOR FOR POSTAGE-METER MACHINES.

Original application filed March 22, 1924, Serial No. 701,219. Divided and this application filed December 29, 1924. Serial No. 758,777.

This application is a division of our application for patent on postage meter ma chines filed March 22, 1924, Serial No. 701,219.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel means whereby pieces of mail or the like can be taken successively, one at a time, from a feed hopper containing a quantity of pieces, and fed to devices which operate thereon; in the particular machine shown the pieces of mail are fed to devices which imprint metered mail in dicia thereon; and then fed past sealing devices whereby the gummed portion of the flaps of the envelopes are moistened, and sealed. The printing is accomplished by means of a die controlled by a meter which regulates each imprint, and automatically locks when a predetermined prepaid number of impressions have been made; as more fully shown and described in our aforesaid application.

We will explain the invent-ion with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention and will enable others familiar with the art to adopt and usethe invention; and refer to the appended claims for summaries of the invention, and various novel features of construction and novel combinations of parts for which protection is desired.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a complete machine in which the invention is employed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the devices for separating the letters from the feed hopper and forwarding them to the post-marking and seal-- The envelope feeding devices.

As shown in the drawings a base plate 1, is supported by frames 2 at an anglev of about fifteen degrees from the vertlcal and at the front of this bed plate are mounted the various feed rollers, guides, etc., and at its rear are mounted the driving gearing clutches and tripping devices.

Mounted on the base plate 1, at the left hand side, Figure 1, is a feed hopper preferably consisting of a back plate 3, bottom plate 4, and a tail piece 4 and a side plate.

5. The mail to be imprinted and sealed is placed in the hopper with the flaps of the envelopes toward the back plate 8, and the flaps underneath.

The envelopes are successively fed from the hopper by two continuously revolving feed sectors, 20 and 20, mounted on a shaft 20". When the sectors are rotated the major peripheries of the sectors 20 and 20 will project through openings in the bottom plate 4 of the hopper (see Figures 1 and 2) and feed the bottom envelope in the hopper out of the hopper and to the right, beneath the lower end of plate 5, by reason of the friction of the faces of the segments against the lowermost letter. The faces of the segments are preferably covered with rubber, as in dicated at 2O Figure 2, to increase the friction of the surface.

The feed sectors 20 and 20 are so timed with relation to the operation of the other devices of the machine as to advance the letters at such intervals as will insure a proper space between the tail end of any one letter and the leading end of the next following letter; such space being of sufficient length to allow the trip finger 200, hereinafter described, time to act freely.

By using feed sectors, the feed is rendered intermittent in'its action although the sectors are rotated at uniform speed. After a letter is properly started on its way by the sectors the feeding action of the sectors, cease and there is nothing tending to feed the next letter out of the 110 per until, during the next revolution of the sectors their faces 20 come into contact with. it. The rubber faces 20 of the sectors are preferably corrugated or serrated, in order to increase their friction on the letters to be fed.

To make sure that all the letters in the feed hopper have their forward ends close against the plate 5, so that they will be in position to be engaged by the feed sectors 20 and 20 when they reach the bottom, the piece 4 is adapted to tip up the rear end of the pile, so that the letter will ravitate toward the mouth of the hopper. his tail piece 4 (Fig. 1) has a hinged leaf 4", which is held. in an angular position by the spring 4. The tail piece can be adjusted on the bottom plate 4 to accommodate long or short mail, and may be held in position on plate 4 by any suitable means. As shown a stud 4 is secured to the under side of piece 4, and passes through an elongated slot in plate 4; and a flat spring loop 4 is secured to the end of stud 4 by a nut, and the free end of the loop is perforated to engage the stud 4, Fi re 1. The friction between the end of spring 4 and the bottom of plate 4 is suflicient to hold piece 4 in any position in which it is adjusted by hand; and the loop spring 4 forms a convenient handle for adjusting piece 4*.

A suflicient space is left between the bottom plate 4 and the side plate 5 of the hopper to allow letters from the bottom of the pile in the hopper to be passed under plate 5. As the feed sectors 20 and 20 move the bottom letter from the hopper the frictional contact between such letter and the one next above it might cause the superposed letter to also pass through. To prevent this we provide a novel separator by which the superposed letter is held back.

The separator.

The separating member is of the type known as a wiper separator which wipes over the surface of the sectors in such a manner that'if two envelopes are simultaneously fed forward the Wiper will hold the upper one of them back, while passes through lugs 101 on the lower part of frame 101; and one of the rollers 100 is arranged between the lugs 101 and one is arranged on each side of 'part 101, outside the lugs (see Figures 2 and 5). Spacing collars 100 are placed on pin 100 at each side of the middle roller 100. The separator is so positioned that the spaced feed sectors 20 and 20 operate in the spaces between the rollers 100; without contacting with them. Pin 100 has a head 100 on one end, and its other end is threaded to receive a knurled nut 100. WVhen nut 100 is tightened, the rollers, spacing collars, and the two lugs 101 are clamped together sufiiciently to prevent the rollers or pin being turned by the frictional contact of a passing letter. A knurled head 100 pinned on the threaded end of pin 100 provides a con- Venient means for turning the pin and rollers when it is desired to shift the rollers to bring new portions of their rubber faces into position to engage the letters.

The fixed member 102 of the pantograph frame is secured to the plate 5 of the feed hopper and is connected to the movable part 101 by pairs of links 103, and 104 (Figs. 1 and 4). The movable part 101 is urged downwardly by a spring 101 but its movement is limited by a stop 102, fixed to part 102; and an adjusting screw 103 mounted in a cross bar 103 between the links 103. The tension of spring 101 is regulable by a threaded hook 101 and knurled nut 101".

The three rubber faced rollers 100 alternating with the segments 20 and 20 prevent any friction between the separator and feed when the machine is running idly.

An eccentric sheet metal guard loop 105 is fastened to the part 101 of the frame (Figures 2 and 5 and projects slightly beyond the rollers 100, leaving only a small portion of their rubber faces exposed on the side next the feed hopper. This guard 105 is capable of slight adjustment to compensate for the wear of the rubber faces of the rollers 100;

its fastening screws 105 passi-n through elongated openings 105 (see Figures 2 and 6).

The metal guard 105 shields a large part of the surface of the three rollers 100 and prevents excessive friction between the wiper rollers and a thick letter, as the latter can easily slip on the polished metal of the guard until it is checked by frictional contact with the rollers. The frame in which the wiper rollers are mounted permits them to move in a direction transverse to the direction of the feed; which movement is controlled by spring 101 which urges the wiper rollers toward the feed sectors at all times, but will allow letters of varying thicknesses to pass.

As more fully described in our aforesaid patent applicationafter passing out of the feed hopper, the letter is passed between a pair of revolving feed rollers 21 and 22; roller 22 being mounted in a swingable support 22 so that it can yield laterally to accommodate varying thicknesses of letters and each letter passing through the machine actuates the trip finger 200 controlling the printing die, by pushing a trip finger 200 which controls the operation of the printing devices.

The rollers 21 and 22 forward the letters to and between a printing couple consisting of a printing die 23 (Fig. 1) preferably mounted on the meter M and an impression roller 24 mounted on a spring controlled rocking frame 24 (see Fig. 1), substantially as shown and described in patent to A. H. Pitney, No. 1,870,668, dated March 8, 1921. The parts are so constructed and operated that the die 23 makes one revolution for each letter passing between the trip rollers 21* and 22; said die being controlled by mechanism controlled by the trip 200.

The means for releasing, driving and stopvping the die by the combined trip and clutch printed as described, are passed over the nose 301 of the flap moistening and sealing devices, which nose carries a felt wick which is saturated with water; and in passing the envelope flap is slightly opened by the sharp edge of the nose 301 insinuating itself between the body and flap. The body of the envelope passes over the nose while the partly opened flap passes under the nose, and the gum thereon is moistened by the wick 303. After passing the nose the flap is pressed upward by a guide 305, sealing the envelope, and the envelope is then discharged by rollers 25 and 26 into a suitable receptacle 12 as described in our aforesaid application. A tray 14 may be mounted on the upright frame 2, to conveniently hold mail matter preparator to printing and sealing same.

The sha t 20 of the feed sectors, the feed roll 21, impression roller 24:, the delivery roller 25, and the clutch by which the spindle of the printing die 23 is driven when the meter is positioned in the machme, are all driven in proper time and manner by] gearing mechanism at the back of the ase 1, which gearing mechanism may be substantially as shown and described in the afore said patents, or of any suitable kind and as this gearing and mechanism is not a feature of the present invention, and will be readily understood by those familiar with the art, and readily supplied by a mechanic without invention, it is unnecessary to illustrate or describe the same in detail.

We claim:

1. In mechanism of the character specified, the combination of a hopper and means for feeding letters therefrom, of a separator for holding back superposed letters comprising spaced frictional rollers; and a yleldable spring controlled frame carrying said separator.

2. In combination, a hopper; spaced segments for feeding letters therefrom; a separator opposite the feeding sectors comprising frictional members alternating 1n position with the sectors; and means for yieldably supporting said separator in operative position.

3. In mechanism of the character specified, a feed hopper; a pair of spaced rotata'ble feed sectors disposed adjacent the discharge end of the hopper adapted to frictionally engage the lowermost letter in the hopper and discharge the same therefrom; with a separator comprising frictional members alternating in position with the sectors; and a frame yieldably supporting said separator in operative position.

4. The combination of a feed hopper; means for discharging letters therefrom; a separator opposite the feed devices, a pantograph frame carrying said separator; and a spring connected with said frame to yieldingly hold the separator in operative position.

5. The combination of a feed hopper; a plurality of spaced sectorsfor discharging letters therefrom; a separator opposite the feed sectors; a pantograph frame carrying said separator; a spring connected with said frame to yieldingly hold the separator in operative position; and a stop for limiting the position of the frame.

6. In a machine of the character specified, a feed hopper having a discharge opening; means for discharging letters from the hopper; a tail piece in the hopper adapted to cause the letters to press towards the discharge opening by gravity; a support for said tail piece slidably mounted on the bottom of the hopper; a pin connected to this support and projecting through a slot in the bottom of the hopper; and a return bend spring connected to said p-in adapted to form a handle for adjusting the plate and also a means for binding the plate in adjusted position.

7. In mechanism of the character specified, a feed hopper; a plurality of spaced feed sectors disposed adjacent the discharge end of the hopper adapted to frictionally engage the lowermost letter in the hopper and discharge the same therefrom, said sections being of such size that they will feed the letters successively and intermittently from the hopper when the sectors are continuously rotated; with a separator adapted to hold back superposed letters, and comprising a series of frictional members alternating in position with the segments and means for yieldably supporting said memhere.

8. In mechanism of the character specified, the combination of a hopper and means for feeding letters therefrom, of a separator for holding back superposed letters, said separator comprising spaced frictional devices adapted to engage the letters, and a yieldable spring controlled support for said members and swingable links connected to said support.

9. In combination, a hopper; spaced sectors; spaced rotatable segments for feeding the bottom letter/therefrom; and a separator comprising spaced frictional members for holding back superposed letters alternating said supporting means, and a guard plate in position with the sectors a yieldable on the supporting means partially encircling spring controlled support for said members the rollers.

and swingable links connected to said sup- In testimony that we claim the foregoing 5 port. as our own, we aflix our signatures.

10. A separator comprising a plurality of spaced friction surfaced rollers for hold- ARTHUR H. PITNEY. I ing back superposed letters, means for yield- JACOB W. OGDEN. ingly supportingthese rollers in operative EDWARD G. NORTHROP.

10 position; and swlngable links connected to WALTER H. WHEELER, JR. 

